IPL 2020 | I’m fit, ready and available for the next game, declares Kane Williamson

After a 735-run season in IPL 2018 where he skippered Sunrisers Hyderabad to the final, Kane Williamson’s 2019 season was reduced to just 9 appearances and he is, thus far, yet to play a single game in IPL 2020. An injury, skipper David Warner explained, was the reason behind Williamson’s omission in SRH’s first game versus RCB, and many thought the same might have been the reason behind the 30-year-old’s absence on Saturday, but speaking on the sidelines during the KKR clash, the Kiwi skipper’s revelations suggested otherwise. 

In an interview with Danny Morrison on air where he indirectly seemed to express his dissent over being left out, Williamson said that his body was good and hinted that his omission in the second game was more tactical. The Kiwi skipper further declared that he was ‘fit, ready and available’ for SRH’s next encounter.

“Body is pretty fine. Yeah, obviously a small niggle early on but pretty fine at the moment. I’m available for the next match. Ready. I guess it’s always a balance between the players you pick and the areas you want to address and the surfaces you are presented with and the opposition, so there’s a lot (of thinking) that goes into making the decision,” Williamson said in an interview to the commentators on Saturday.

Morrison’s uncomfortable questions forced the other commentators to intervene and ask Williamson more ‘friendly’ questions and thus the 30-year-old was then asked about the pitches and conditions in the UAE. The former SRH skipper claimed that given the pitches will get older with time, it will be important for sides to adjust to the skiddy bounce. Adapting to conditions, the 30-year-old claimed, will be the key to success.

“Playing on just three grounds, we’ll see the wickets age throughout the competition, teams will have to adapt pretty quickly. And even on the same grounds, we’ve seen a mixture of scores. I think it’s adapting to the skiddy sort of low bounce. Every ground is different, but it’s great that we’re here and we’re able to get some cricket for all the fans out there,” explained the 30-year-old. 

Sunrisers Hyderabad have boasted of a historically weak middle-order, but it has particularly come under the scanner since the start of last season, where there has been an unhealthy over-reliance on Warner and Bairstow. Contrary to popular opinion, Williamson expressed his sympathy for the middle-order batters who, according to the 30-year-old, have always have had minimal opportunities to get their eye in and express themselves owing to the openers batting out a bulk of the overs.

“Guys have their roles and they’re trying to play it as well as they can. Last year, Davey and Jonny batted at the top of the order up until the 15th or 16th over, so the roles then have to change for the players that come in and sometimes the contributions might be not as big and the opportunity isn’t there and sometimes they are. 

“As we know in T20 cricket, that’s always the challenge, you come in after a wicket and adjust to the conditions and make a contribution as large as you can.”

SRH have a quick turnaround and will play the third game of their season against Delhi Capitals in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday.